Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-04-30
Republicans and Knights.
Topeka Capital.


While that head would indicate a
comparison of individual persons having
different opinions on similar or the sane
subjects, that is not what is intended, but
rather to suggest a thought as to the re-
lations between the Knights of Labor as
an organization and the Republican
party. The knights aim at certain
objects, and it seems to us that the very
best means for accomplishing their
principal objects are the sympathy and
machinery of the Republican party. IF an
individual knight will sit down alone and
carefully think over what he most needs
in social and civil affairs and what he
really wants to obtain, and then dissects
the great party which saved the nation
and examines the feelings and motives,
the aims and aspirations of the millions
of persons that compose its membership,
he will see that nine-tenths of them are
men Like unto himself, moved and insti-
gated by precisely the same impulses, and
he will observe that the many founda-
ton principles of the iparty are those
upon which the people feed. And then,
if he will look over the recorded acts of
that party he will find numerous in
stances of patriotic donation to human
rights, to the assistance of defenseless
citizens, to the education Of the masses,
to just recompense of labor to the gen.
eral upbuilding Of the country, and he
will net find one case of apostasy from
the high standard of the fathers. not one
case Of turning away from the poor, not
one case of injustice to the men and
women who toll.
The truth is, the Republican party is
made up largely Of men who believe just
as the best men among the knights be-
ieve, and their aims and objects in life
are precisely the same. The natural
home of the knights is in the Republican
party, because there they would have no
sympathy but implements for practical
service. The Republican party is ma
tional party; it stands for law, justice,
progress, education and national unity.
It is for good government, fair wages and
honest profits. There is no danger in
such a party. It would not Cypress
labor because its own members are labor
ers; it would not violate privileges of
because all of its members
are citizens and many of them, only few
years ago, were slaves. The highest aims
of men, the most exalted purposes of
politics, the purest resolves of citizens
are found written in the history of that
great organization. It could not violate
any of the sacred rights of citizenship
without at the same time doing violence
to its own honorable and steadily con-
sistent course.
The Knights of Labor must cut loose
from anarchists and dangerous babblers.
The experience of the last year has made
this apparent. The recent election in
Chicago was lesson of itself. A few
brawlers got ahead of the labor move
ment and made much noise as to attract
all attention to the head of the column
which the real working men followed in
shame and the whole body was inglori-
ously defeated. The Democratic party
was split in twain at the very suggestion
of anarchist supremacy, and all really
loyal people not already too far gone in
the labor movement to withdraw joined
the party OF safety-the Republican
party.
The paper published by and for the
knights, The Knights Of Labor, for April
9, referring to the election and its Incl
dents, sets forth few plain facts in a
plain way, thus:
Voters on Tuesday were men who were
voting for the principles of equitable leg
islation in spite Of the red flag. Had the
red flag issue been as bold as it was
covert there would not have been 1000
votes polled in its interests in Chicago.
But labor men did not purpose to see the
party go down simply because it had
been captured by lot of fools, and trust
ing to their confidence in Nelson, Dixon
and such of the men of sense as were still
in the lead, $4,000 of them decided to vote
with the party anyhow. Had Dixon
been the candidate; had not Morgan run
the convention and campaign; had Curr-
lin not been put on the stump, there
would have been 10000 votes instead of |
$4,000. These $4,000 brave men came to
The rescue of the party; just as many |
men defended it with fear and trembling; |
they came in spite of rei-fagism, and |
now for it, and these $4,000 men will now
see to it that their party is reorganized, |
and all vestiges Of red-hagism forever
wiped out.
Better drop the idea of a distinct labor
party. for IL will never succeed. Come